“Don’t, Terry! Please don’t do that. It isn’t safe!”
“I’m going to try it, anyway. Now listen, Prim, I’ll go ahead and you follow. Don’t lag, keep right on my heels.”
With head held high, Terry walked boldly to the door and threw it open.
But Jim Heron had leaped to his feet and stood facing her. With an angry snarl he commanded, “Get back there. In you go!”
Terry stood her ground. “I just wanted to stay outside where the air was cool. Anyway I want to talk to you!”
But Jim Heron thrust out a horny hand and shoved the girl inside. Raising his gun to his shoulder he pointed it menacingly at Terry as the girl started once more toward the open door. Sally dragged the girl back and shut the door.
“Don’t go, Terry! Come here! You don’t know Jim Heron,” Sally whispered. “He’d just as soon shoot you as not. Bud Hyslop probably gave him money to keep you locked up and after that he’d kill you rather than let you go. He’d do anything for money.”
Terry obeyed. She sat down but her eyes were blazing and her jaw was set in determination. “All right, Sally, I’ll not make any more fuss. But I’ll watch my chance. What’s more I’ll get away!”
Prim looked around anxiously: “I don’t see how it can be done, Terry,” she said. “We’re prisoners, all right. Just as much as if we were locked in a cell.”
“Don’t do anything to get him angry,” pleaded Sally Wyn. “He’s terrible when he gets started.”